New to quail, water question

[nmwaussies]

So I've done plenty of chicken chicks (have more coming actually!), but never quail. Trying to set up the brooder and wondering if anyone does nipple waterers for them? I prefer it for my other chicks since it's safer and cleaner, but haven't seen where folks with quail use them. Thanks for any input!

 

[BReeder!]

So I've done plenty of chicken chicks (have more coming actually!), but never quail. Trying to set up the brooder and wondering if anyone does nipple waterers for them? I prefer it for my other chicks since it's safer and cleaner, but haven't seen where folks with quail use them. Thanks for any input!

I use poultry cups for adult quail and just a standard jar waterer with marbles or rocks in the tray for quail chicks. They'll drown themselves on accident, so the marbles or rocks is a must. I'm not convinced they'll use nipples.

 

[Rooapalooza]

My adult quail use the nipples. I like to also have a shallow dish of water because they like to stand in it. For babies you need very shallow water so they don't drown. In my experience they drink a lot more water than chickens, and like I said, they like to stand in it, so they get it dirty fast. Nipples help with that.

 

[mdees88]

I use 1 gallon quail waterers (no marbles needed) for chicks and nipples for adults. Pretty sure you could get the chicks to figure out the nipples by the time they're a week old. They peck at everything anyway. Would definitely need regular waterers though until they figure it out though. Try and see....

 

[BReeder!]

I use 1 gallon quail waterers (no marbles) for chicks and nipples for adults. Pretty sure you could get the chicks to figure out the nipples by the time they're a week old. They peck at everything anyway. Would definitely need regular waterers though until they figure it out though. Try and see....

View attachment 2060980

I've never seen this "quail waterer". It looks like it has a narrower tray, which makes sense. That's great.

 

[mdees88]

I've never seen this "quail waterer". It looks like it has a narrower tray, which makes sense. That's great.

Yes, they sell the 1qt models at tractor supply but I had to order the 1 gallon models online. You need to place it on a piece of wood or something so its raised a tad above the shavings. You rarely ever get poop in it, just shavings. As the birds get bigger, raise it higher so they knock less shavings into it...

I can't imagine having a flat waterer they could stand in. These guys are little poop machines and you'd have to change the water many times per day I bet.... I guess if you only had a few quail it probably wouldn't be so bad. I usually change mine once every day or two or if they get poop in it.

 

[BReeder!]

Yes, they sell the 1qt models at tractor supply but I had to order the 1 gallon models online. You need to place it on a piece of wood or something so its raised a tad above the shavings. You rarely ever get poop in it, just shavings. As the birds get bigger, raise it higher so they knock less shavings into it...

I can't imagine having a flat waterer they could stand in. These guys are little poop machines and you'd have to change the water many times per day I bet.... I guess if you only had a few quail it probably wouldn't be so bad. I usually change mine once every day or two or if they get poop in it.

View attachment 2060992

I tend to clean daily, including the rocks I put in the tray. I'm thinking about swapping out or quail with rabbits so this will not be a future need, otherwise I would get one of these.

 

[JaeG]

If you only have a few quail chicks then these ones for caged birds are brilliant to start off with.


You do not want wet quail chicks and these have small enough openings that they cannot get wet. If you do go with a dish or a waterer with a larger reservoir use marbles because their uniform shape doesn't leave big gaps where chicks can get themselves wet whereas rocks can.

Remember you have to teach them to eat and drink, unlike chicken chicks who do it instinctively. Tap the food and the water, and keep doing it until you know they all understand because you can get the odd one that, despite all its siblings eating and drinking right in front of it, this particular ones doesn't work it out and is waiting for its mother to show it. And you'll need to remove them from the incubator within 24 hours. I've had quail chicks that aren't even fully dry pecking around on the ground for food. They are designed to hatch and go.

 

[Nabiki]

If you only have a few quail chicks then these ones for caged birds are brilliant to start off with.
View attachment 2061609

You do not want wet quail chicks and these have small enough openings that they cannot get wet. If you do go with a dish or a waterer with a larger reservoir use marbles because their uniform shape doesn't leave big gaps where chicks can get themselves wet whereas rocks can.

Remember you have to teach them to eat and drink, unlike chicken chicks who do it instinctively. Tap the food and the water, and keep doing it until you know they all understand because you can get the odd one that, despite all its siblings eating and drinking right in front of it, this particular ones doesn't work it out and is waiting for its mother to show it. And you'll need to remove them from the incubator within 24 hours. I've had quail chicks that aren't even fully dry pecking around on the ground for food. They are designed to hatch and go.

I use something very similar for my young birds.

 

[Rosalyn63]

So I've done plenty of chicken chicks (have more coming actually!), but never quail. Trying to set up the brooder and wondering if anyone does nipple waterers for them? I prefer it for my other chicks since it's safer and cleaner, but haven't seen where folks with quail use them. Thanks for any input!

I use nipple waterers all the time for my adult quail. They would be fine for later chicks too as long as they can reach. A shallow saucer with peebles in its better for new chicks.